D.C Police Issue Report on Navy Yard Shooting

Confusion among local, federal civilian and military law-enforcement agencies and first-responders hindered progress in apprehending and subduing Aaron Alexis, the man who shot and killed 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard last Sept. 16, according to a report issued this month by the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department. The report provided a time line of the day’s events, beginning when Alexis entered the building shortly after 8 a.m. and killed his first three victims. Emergency 911 dispatch calls were placed separately to MPD, D.C. Fire and Emergency Services, and Navy Yard emergency call centers, all of which responded quickly, according to the report. By 9:25, Alexis was hunted down and killed by MPD and Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents. Still, authorities had not determined yet that Alexis was acting alone. That process – and the notification of families of victims and survivors – would continue for several hours. The report recommended better communications among agencies that could be involved in future incidents, particularly in the early stages and when some agencies may not have the staff and resources to respond accordingly. Such agencies should foster “strong relationships” and conduct training exercises with each other. Recipients of 911 calls also could benefit from more thorough training and procedures relating to garnering as much information as possible from callers. The report also cited the news media’s willingness to intercept and interpret police-radio transmissions, arrive at incorrect conclusions, and broadcast them as “breaking news” only to issue retractions when proven false. Responders should have the opportunity to switch to different and secure radio channels during ongoing operations, the report concluded. A single command center would be able to coordinate different efforts more efficiently as well.